Japanese, Chinese FMs agree on mutual visits by leaders

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi have agreed to move forward with mutual visits by the countries’ leaders to improve ties, according to NHK, Japan’s sole public broadcasting organization.

Kono and Wang met in Singapore.

The ministers agreed to step up arrangements for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit China by the end of the year, and then for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Japan.

Wang said relations are back on a normal path and moving forward, and he hopes to make this irreversible.

Kono said that strengthening ties including on North Korea and other issues will lead to meeting the expectations of the international community.

The ministers agreed to hold at an early date a meeting of a new public-private forum aimed at promoting cooperation between Japanese and Chinese businesses in third countries.

They also agreed to step up cooperation and dialogue to develop new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and to protect intellectual properties.